The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-08-05
NEW cANNlsAL TRIBES.


The Discoveries OF Capt Van Gcle Along
tho Great SIobanei River.
Last fall the Congo state sent Capt.
Van Gele, one of Stanley's favorite
officers, in the steamer Henry Reed to
make further explorations upon the
Mobangi river, the great northern affiuent
of the Congo, whose importance Mr..
Grenfell was the first to discover. Van
Gele did not ascend the river quite as far
as Grenfell, being prevented by rapids
through which Grenfell had been able to
push his steamer at low water when the
current was slower. He, however, took
time to explore, while Grenfell's journey
was nothing more than hurried recon-
noissance. Van Gele made some very
interesting discoveries. He found, for
instance, three little tributaries, up which
he pushed his steamer for total dis
lance of 207 miles. 1t is only three
years since Stanley estimated that the
Mobangi itself added only about $50
miles to the navigable waters of the
Congo basin. Now the problem is,
whether the Mobangi or the Kassai de-
serves distinction as the Congo's greatest
tributary.
On the Nghiri affluent of the river and
also on the Mobangi, about 800 miles
most densely populated districts he had
seen in Africa. The left bank of the
great river was an uninterrupted success
sion of villages for about seventy miles.
Those who imagine that the depths of
Africa are an almost voiceless solitude
should read Van Gelo's brief account of
the animation and bustlo he witnessed all
along this populous river.
The scene on the river in the morning,
he says, is one of extraordinary ANNA
ton. He often met as many as 800
canoes swiftly blowing through the
water. The canoes were chiefly filed
with women and children. The women
were leaving the village to SO to the
fields and begin the agricultural labors
of the day. Other parties in the canoes
were setting out for the fish nets, to
gather in the finny harvest that had
collected since the previous day. The
river swarms with fish, the land yields
rich returns of all tropical produce, and
thousands of natives along tho river do
not know what famine means. They
have, besides, food resources upon which
most of the world cannot count, as these
natives are among the greatest of canni-
balls.
Quite q number of men accompany
the women to the fields, but not to take
part in tilling tho sell. They let the
women monopolize the rudo iron hoes,
while the men stand around with wea-
pons in their hands to protect the toilers.
Without protection there is always dam
ger that tho women will be surprised and
dragged off by hostile tribes.
ALI these river tribes send expeditions
against one another for tho sole purpose
Of procuring victims for their cannibal
feasts. Capt. Van Gele says that all the
enemies they kill in battle are eaten, and
that the Same fate soon overtakes the
prisoners they carry home with them.
Before the exploration of the Congo VAL
ley the belief was widespread that can
nibalism had greatly decreased, and that
there were comparatively few people who
We're still addicted to the horrid practice.
In all his travels, Livingstone never saw
q cannibal tribe with the possible excep-
ton of the Mauyema. But the opening
up of the Congo basin has revealed the
fact that the world never knew before
where cannibalism Yves most prevalent.
There are undoubtedly hundreds of thou
sands CT people in that region among
whom cannibalism ia confirmed and
mos cherished habit.
Capt. Van Gele says that nowhere in
Africa has he seen fisheries of equal ex-
tent except at Stanley Falls. The stakes
marking tho position of the nets cover
many acres All tbesa trihoc oro tall oud
powerful, and in form they are splendid
specimens of physical beauty. New York
Sun.